Mount Union Wins OAC Wrestling Tournament Title

2/26/2012 12:00:00 AM

Mount Union won its second consecutive OAC Wrestling Tournament Title on Saturday at Heidelberg’s Seiberling Gymnasium. Due to an error in scoring, it was previously announced Mount Union placed second behind Ohio Northern. After careful recalculation, it has been determined Mount Union placed first with 90 points, just one point ahead of Ohio Northern with 89 points. Heidelberg finished third with 80.5 points, followed by John Carroll with 48 points, Muskingum with 16.5 points and Baldwin-Wallace with 13 points.

The Purple Raiders had five individual champions. Junior Riki Reynolds (Marion/Pleasant) won his third-straight title at 125 pounds, while seniors Josh Malave (Rocky River/Lutheran West) at 141, Andy Jenkins (Stow/Woodridge) at 184 and Derick Hesson (Dexter City/Caldwell) at 285 all won their second straight titles. Senior Kevin Shadrach (Parma/Parma) won the 149 pound title. Fifth year head coach, Mark Hawald was named OAC Coach of the Year for third time in five years.

Ohio Northern went 5-0 (12-4 overall) in the OAC to win the regular-season title. Junior Kyle Kwiat (Bloomville/Calvert) won the 174 pound title, was named the OAC Tournament MVP and OAC Wrestler-of-the-Year. Freshman Cody Lovejoy (Harrod/Allen East) won the Most Pins Award with two pins in 5:30. Twenty-fourth year head coach Ron Beaschler was named OAC Coach-of-the-Year for the second time.

The winner and runner-up at each weight class earns All-OAC honors. All ten individual champions and Ohio Northern junior Mick Letcher (Syracuse,NY/Syracuse-Manoa), who earned the League’s at-large bid will compete at the NCAA Division III Championships March 9-10 LaCrosse, Wisconsin.